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ELECTRIC RAILWAY MOTOR.

No. 431,823. Patented July 8, 1890.

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' ELECTRIC RAILWAY MOTOR. I No. 431,823. V Patented July 8, 1890.

Q/witnesses v (320010600 SQQM 3511 fitter/na ir UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

F RANK J. SPRAGUE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE SPRAGUE ELECTRICRAILWAY AND MOTOR COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC-RAILWAY ,M 0T0 R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,823, dated July 8,1890.

Application filed June 11, 1889. Serial No. 313,874. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK J. SPRAGUE, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York city, in' the county and State of New York, haveinvented a certain new and usefulconstruction of such cars or vehiclesdesigned for propulsion by electric motors.

The object of my invention is generally to provide a secure andconvenient attachment and arrangement for one or more motors upon theelectrically-propelled car or vehicle in which space will be economized,the motor or motors and the car-bodywill be so independently supportedas not to be affected by each others weight and movements, the Weight ofthe motor or motors will be evenly distributed, the motor or motors willbe so supported that they will have the minimum of bodily movement, andthe gearing which transmits motion from the motor-sh af ts to the driving-axles sh all have a constant effective engagement.

I prefer to make use of my invention in connection with vehicles havingverticallymovable axle-boxes, and in carrying my invention into efiectwith such vehicles I employ equalizing-bars, which extend on each sideof the vehicle from one axle-box to the other, and I join suchequalizing-bars by a cross piece or frame which forms the immediatesupport for one end of the electric motor, the other end being centeredon a driving-axle of the vehicle with which the arma ture-shaft of themotor is suitably geared or mechanically connected by a suitablecentering support which is independent of the frame formed by theequalizing-bars, whereby the gearing between the armature-shaft and theaxle is made to maintain constantly an eifective engagement. Thesuspension of the motor from the cross piece or frame is preferably aflexible suspension through springs or other flexible supports. When twomotors areprovided, I support them both in this way, one being placedbefore and one behind the said cross piece or frame, and I center eachmotor upon oneof the driving-axleswith which its armature-shaft isgeared or mechanically connected. The body of the car I support uponsprings independent of the cross piece or frame which supports the motoror motors, so that the movements of the car-body upon said springs arenot communicated to the I motors.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Whioh-Figure 1 is a top plan view of a truck embodying my invention; Fig. 2, alongitudinal vertical section of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;Fig. 3, a side elevation of the truck boxes 0 outside the Wheels, andthe axle-boxes being vertically movable in the pedestals O. From oneaxle -box to the other on each side extend the equalizing-bars D, suchbars being so attached to or supported upon the axleboxes at their endsas to have a limited play or movement.

0 is a frame carried above the equalizingbars D and connected therewiththrough the spiral cushioning-springs F F.

E is the spring-board or sand-board which supports the car-springs, andwhich is hung from longitudinal girders of the frame 0 by stirrups O.The elliptic car-springs Q are mounted upon the said board, and thesesupport the cross-bolster P, which has at its center thepivoting-support for the ear-body, the car-body being thus carried uponthe springs Q. In order that the propelling electric motors may be madeindependent of the said springs which support the car-body and also tosecure the other advantages heretofore pointed out as the object of myinvention,- I support and arrange said motors in the following way: i v

The motors shown are circular in form, S S being the field-magnetwindings and G the armature of each motor. Each motor is centered on thedriving-axle at one end of the truck, for the purpose already described,by

means of sleeves e e, and brackets N, extending from one pole-piece tothe other, support the armature-shaft of each motor. Upon each end ofeach armature-shaft is a pinion H, and these pinions engage toothedwheels M on the driving-axles to turn the same.

From one'side of frame 0 to the other there extend two pairs ofcross-bars a before and behind the cross-springs Q, but independent ofthe said springs. These cross-bars support the motors, the motors beingflexibly connected therewith. Such flexible support for each motor is bymeans of a bolt 1) passing through a lug c projecting from the motor,which bolt passes also through a box h, a

supported from the pair of cross-bars a, and within said box h is aspring d, so that through the bolts 7), springs d, cross-bars a, frame0, and springs 1? the motors are flexibly sup ported from theequalizing-bars, which are connected withthe axle-boxes. r

What I claim is'- 1. A wheeled truck provided With springs forsupporting a car-body and carryingan electric motor flexibly supportedupon it, said motor being centered upon an axle of the truck with whichits armature-shaft is mechanically connected, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination of a wheeled truck, springs on said truck forsupporting-acm body, and an electric motor carried by said truckindependent of said springs and centered upon an axle of the truck withwhich its armature-shaft is mechanically connected, substantially as setforth.

3. The combination of a wheeled truck,

springs on said truck for supporting a carbody, and an electric motorflexibly supported by said truck independent of said springs and 40centered upon an axle of the truck with which its armature-shaft ismechanically connected, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a Wheeled truck, springs on said truck forsupporting a carbody,'a frame joining the axles of said truck, and anelectric motor carried by said frame independent of said springs andhaving a centering-support independent of the said frame upon an axleof. the truck with which its armature-shaft is mechanically connected,substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a wheeled truck, springs on said truck forsupporting a carbody, a frame joining the axles of said truck, and anelectric motor flexibly supported by said frame independent of saidsprings, and having a centering-support independent of said frame uponan axle of' the truck'with which its armature-shaft is mechanicallyconnected, substantially as set forth.-

6. The combination of -a wheeled truck, a frame yieldingly supportedupon the axles of said truck, springs on said truck for supporting acar-body, and an electric motor carried by said frame independent ofsaid springs and having its armature-shaft mechanically connected withone of said axles, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed 70 this 10th day of June, 1889.

FRANK J. SPRAGUE.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM PELZER, D. H. DRISOOLL.

